Mumbai has adequate supply of blood at the moment. And the city has got the hundreds of resident Good Samaritans who regularly donate blood voluntarily to thank for their largesse.
About 650 units of blood are required in the city every day, about 21,000 per month and 2,40,000 units per year. “The maximum blood units are collected from voluntary donation regular drives conducted at colleges and corporate houses,” said Vinay Shetty, vice-president, Think Foundation, adding that about 30% of the city’s total blood donation comes from drives organised by corporates. During each drive, corporates can collect as much 1,000 units per day, he said.
It is this habit of organising regular blood donation drives that stood the city in good stead, at a crucial time last year. “People don’t know this, but the city had adequate supply of blood during November 26 last year, thanks to blood donation drives organised before the attack,” said Shetty.
Hundreds of Mumbaikars flocked to hospitals to donate blood during the terror attack. “The true ‘spirit of Mumbai’ was evident that night, when I saw people wanting to donate blood lining up at the hospital,” recalled a resident doctor at JJ Hospital who had to paste a notice on the board outside the hospital, informing people that the hospital had enough blood to meet the emergency.
However, in case of an emergency, it is not the blood donated immediately by people who react to the tragedy that comes in handy, explained Shetty. “The true Samaritans are those who donate blood regularly, and voluntarily,” he added.
According to Shetty, orgainsing a blood donation drive is the best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity that a corporate can undertake. “Employees feel more encouraged to donate blood at a place convenient to them,” he explained.
